User blog:Grrrbear26/Gerigal, born of mana
Skarner is in a strange place right now, as he has always been in. This is an attempt to help out with his issues. Author's Note: This blog is in no way fueled by belief that Skarner is currently too strong, or too weak. It is fueled by his odd place and roll in league of legends, and Riot's difficulty balancing him in the past. Thoughts and Objectives *Connect Skarner’s character Design and Lore (what little there is) with his game play. **I wanted to make him more territorial as opposed to a magic chasing machine. *Make it more clear when you should fight him. **Similar to what Riot did with Ryze, I wanted to make it clear when he is and is not strong. I did this by reworking Crystalline Exoskeleton into Nest. *Combine and simplify the stacking mechanics of Q and his Innate. (Clarity) The only base stat that this rework effects is his base movement speed, which is increased to 355 from 345 to balance out how his new movement works. Original Innate= and build stacks of Crystal Venom on the target enemy, stacking up to 3 times. |description2 = If Skarner attacks an enemy at 3 stacks, the stacks are consumed and his attack is modified to deal (5 Skarner's level)| }} magic damage and the target for seconds. After the stun, targets cannot receive Crystal Venom stacks for a few seconds. |customlabel = |custominfo = }}}} |-| Change Log= *Attack speed mechanic moved from Crystal Slash (q) into Crystallizing Sting (innate). *Targets stunned by Crystallizing Sting do not have their stacks consumed, but become immune the stun from Crystallizing Sting for a short duration after. *The stun from Crystallizing Sting is now 1 second at all levels. *Modified damage removed. *Impale now builds stacks of Crystal Venom. *Cooldown increased to 10 seconds to make up for retention of stacks. |-| New Innate= , , and build stacks of Crystal Venom on the target enemy, stacking up to 3 times. Skarner gains 8% bonus attack speed per stack on the target he is attacking. |description2 = If Skarner attacks an enemy at 3 stacks, his attack s the target for 1 second. After the stun, targets cannot be stunned from by Crystallizing Sting for a few seconds. , , and refresh the duration of Crystal Venom stacks. |customlabel = |custominfo = }}}} Original Q= Skarner deals physical damage to all enemies within range. |description2 = Hitting an enemy will charge himself with Crystal Energy for 5 seconds stacking up to 3 times, granting bonus attack speed and movement speed and causing subsequent casts to deal bonus magic damage. Basic attacks reduce the cooldown of Crystal Slash by seconds (doubled against enemy champions). |leveling = |leveling2 =* | }} * | }} |cooldown = |cost = |costtype = mana |range = 350 }} | }} |-| Change Log= *Attack speed mechanic moved from Crystal Slash (q) into Crystallizing Sting (innate). *Targets stunned by Crystallizing Sting do not have their stacks consumed, but become immune the stun from Crystallizing Sting for a short duration after. *The stun from Crystallizing Sting is now 1 second at all levels. *Modified damage removed. *Damage now ramps up based on Crystallizing Venom Stacks. *Uses limited lifesteal. |-| New Q= Skarner deals physical damage to all enemies within range. |description2 = Targets with Crystal Venom take 5% bonus physical damage per stack from Crystal Slash. Crystal Slash applies 50% of Skarner's Lifesteal. Basic attacks reduce the cooldown of Crystal Slash by seconds (doubled against enemy champions). |leveling = |cooldown = |cost = |costtype = mana |range = 350 }}}} Original W= Skarner shields himself for up to 6 seconds. |description2 = While the shield persists, Skarner gains bonus movement speed that increases over the next 3 seconds. |leveling = |leveling2 = | }} |cooldown = |cost = 60 |costtype = mana }}}} |-| Change Log= *Crystalline Exoskeleton reworked into Nest. *Existing Shield scaling changed to % bonus health to clarify optimal build. (AD bruiser) *Slow incorporated to make up for lack of speed. |-| New W= Skarner creates a Nest that persists for five minutes. When Skarner stands on it, its duration is refreshed, and he gains a Shield that lasts for 6 seconds after leaving the nest. |description2 = While the shield persists, Skarner gains bonus movement speed that increases over the next 3 seconds.If the shield is damaged, he cannot regain that shield for 5 seconds after it is depleted. |description3 = Enemies who are near (500 units) the nest are slowed based on the number of Crystal Venom stacks. Skarner’s nests are destroyed if an enemy stands on them for 2.5 seconds. The time required to destroy a nest is increased based on how slowed the champion is. He cannot have more than 5 nests. If he would place a sixth nest, the oldest one is destroyed. |description4 = Enemies nearby (500 units) to the nest are slowed for each stack of Crystal Venom''. |leveling = |leveling2 = | }} |leveling3 = | }} |cooldown = |cost = 8% |costtype = Maximum Health }} | }} Original E= Skarner deals magic damage to all enemies in a line and them for seconds. |leveling = % |cooldown = |cost = |costtype = mana |range = 1000 }} | 70 1500 |damagetype = magic |projectile = true |spelleffects = area |onhiteffects = |spellshield = will block the damage and slow. |additional = *'Fracture' will be disabled during . |video=Skarner EVideo.ogv }}}} |-| Change Log= *Now incorporates Nest into its mechanics. |-| New E= Skarner deals magic damage to all enemies in a line and them for seconds. This slow stacks additively with Nest but cannot exceed 70% combined. |description2 = If Fracture hits one of Skarner’s Nests, that nest lunches 5 Fractures (500 Unit Range) in all directions. Enemies cannot be effected with more than one Fracture. |leveling = % |cooldown = |cost = |costtype = mana |range = 1000 }} | 70 1500 |damagetype = magic |projectile = true |spelleffects = area |onhiteffects = |spellshield = will block the damage and slow. |additional = *'Fracture' will be disabled during . |video=Skarner EVideo.ogv }}}} Original R= Skarner rears his stinger, his target for |Estimated}} seconds as he brings his stinger down, dealing magic damage and it for seconds. At the end of the suppression, the target takes the same damage again. |description2 = For the duration, Skarner can move freely and drag his victim around with him but cannot attack the victim. Impale consumes all stacks to deal bonus magic damage per stack. |leveling = | }} |leveling2 = | }} |cooldown= |cost= |costtype=mana |range=350 }} | |Estimated}} seconds, the ability is cancelled but does not go on cooldown. ** Impale's target can exceed the threshold either by being in the process of dashing when immobilized, removing the immobilize and then quickly moving away, or by an ally knocking Skarner back. * Skarner's target will follow him around regardless of the method of movement - including through forced movement spells such as and . * While Impale's suppress is active, Skarner is considered to be facing in the direction of his movement, not the direction he is facing, for the purposes of abilities such as and . |video=Skarner RVideo.ogv }}}} |-| Change Log= *No longer deals bonus damage based on Crystal Venom to make way for Nest Incorporation. *Now incorporates Nest into its mechanics. *Changed to Physical damage. *Changed scaling to 80% AD on both instances of damage. |-| New R= Skarner rears his stinger, his target for |Estimated}} seconds as he brings his stinger down, dealing physical damage and it for seconds. At the end of the suppression, the target takes the same damage again. |description2 = For the duration, Skarner can move freely and drag his victim around with him but cannot attack the victim. If Skarner is nearby (500 units) one of his nests at the end of the duration, he tosses the target to it. |leveling = | }} |cooldown= |cost= |costtype=mana |range=350 }} | |Estimated}} seconds, the ability is cancelled but does not go on cooldown. ** Impale's target can exceed the threshold either by being in the process of dashing when immobilized, removing the immobilize and then quickly moving away, or by an ally knocking Skarner back. * Skarner's target will follow him around regardless of the method of movement - including through forced movement spells such as and . * While Impale's suppress is active, Skarner is considered to be facing in the direction of his movement, not the direction he is facing, for the purposes of abilities such as and . |video=Skarner RVideo.ogv }}}} I have considered changing his damage to magic and his scalings to AP, but decided that an Attack damage and health rout would be more health due to the following reasons. *Attack damage builds have an easier time sustaining with Lifesteal items, which would fit his jungle role. *Health scaling on the shield makes it more clear how to build your items. Health (AR and MR on the side) for defense, and AD items for offense. *He relies heavily on auto attacks. Results Skarner now has something to protect and fight from. His new W grants him enhanced jungle sustain and mobility in the long term, being able to gain his old W's effects for free by walking over his shields. His play style now includes a "Come into my lair!" feeling. He will trap and shred enemies that get too close to his Nests. He is less mobile on the fly. If he doesn't have a Nest nearby, he won't be able to escape/chase. The numbers in this are NOT BALANCED. I have simply reworked his mechanics to create a different playstyle, and clearer build. I would enjoy your input on some more balanced numbers. Please leave a comment below detailing what you thought of my rework. I am open to suggestions and critiques alike.